Richardson, 57, was appointed to 379th District Court bench by Gov. George W. Bush when it was created in 1999. He lost the seat in 2008 in a Democratic wave in Bexar County.

Richardson is board-certified in criminal law. Prior to his appointment to the bench he worked 10 years in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office and as a federal prosecutor.

Since leaving the 379th District Court, he has been serving as a visiting judge in a 40-county area and has done extensive work on death penalty writs. His service in multiple jurisdictions across the state has provided insight into the inner workings of various criminal district offices and the judicial system.

In Place 4, which is being vacated by Justice Paul Womack, we recommend Jani Jo Wood, a 50-year-old veteran appellate lawyer. She is board-certified in criminal appellate law and an adjunct professor in advanced legal research and writing at the University of Houston Law Center.

Wood spent 15 years in solo practice and has worked for the Harris County public defender's office for the last two years, working on a dozen death penalty cases in her career.

Wood has a zest for appellate work and is dedicated to ensuring that the law is followed. She will bring true expertise to the court.

In the contest for the Place 9 seat being vacated by Justice Cathy Cochran, David Newell, 42, merits support. Newell has dedicated his 16-year career to appellate work, including voluntarily handling appeals when he was working in trials as a young prosecutor.

Board-certified in criminal appellate law, Newell is an appellate prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney's Office and previously worked in the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office.